Nocturnal
by fangfaceAndrea
Summary: Some Podsa fluff for Valentine's Day.
1. Chapter 1

He twitches in his sleep, her husband.

And it's one the cutest things he does, though she won't tell him that. That's something she'll keep to herself for now. But she does find it cute; because he makes these faces like his dreams are fun and happy and she gets to witness that. And she finds it funny because he's not twitchy in his wakeful hours.

No, he's soft and steady when he walks beside her. Proud and encouraging when he looks at her from across the room. Strong yet caring when he kisses her, when he loves her.

Oh, Brienne and Podrick himself have regaled her with tales of his clumsiness on a horse in their earlier days, of how he didn't know how to cook a rabbit or hold a sword properly and she can see it, if she squints. He was shy when he was around her in Kings Landing, following Tyrion and Bronn around like a faithful puppy, but he was so different to her afterwards.

Brave and kind and patient, her knight in not-so-shiny-armor, coming to her rescue just when she had stopped believing in knights and could barely hope for the existence of good men.

So, it is funny that he twitches, and snores a bit and hugs the furs sometimes, that last habit — one he blames on the cold even after all these years—, one she could swear he does on purpose just so that she has to crawl to him for warmth because her southern man usually wakes up right after she snuggles up close to him and he greets her with a silly grin "Sansa… what were you doing so far from me?"

She's heard from other ladies that the novelty wears off, that in a few years all women grow tired of their men's habits and maybe it's true, but for now, she rejoices in taking notice of all these little cute things because she couldn't before, as sneaking in and out of each other chambers for months was thrilling but not conductive to just stopping and enjoying… this.

"Me? You're the one who takes the covers and runs with them" there's no ill will in her words and his lips turn up as he pulls the furs to envelop them both.

"Lies, all lies. I'd never leave my wife unprotected" he says that last bit on a yawn that makes her chuckle as she lays her head on his shoulder.

"No, you wouldn't"

"nu-hu" he mumbles and she can feel him going right back to sleep, and just before she follows, lulled by his breathing, she notices a twitch. Cute.


	2. In lust

**Oh, to be young and in lust!**

Gods but he was in lust with her.

In love too. Utterly and stupidly besotted with her, but right now he was reduced to a mass of lust.

And what else could he be with her writhing on top of him, skin glistening and the firelight dancing on her body?

He wants to take a good look, sear in his mind the image of her taking all of him like there's no tomorrow, her long red hair messy and sticking to her face and to her back, bouncing and fiery… and speaking of bouncy… her perfect breasts so alluring that he couldn't stop his hand being pulled to them like moths to a fire, except moths die in the fire while she gives a surprised groan when his seeking fingers finally rub her nipple.

The sounds she makes are heaven, she's so stoic all day long, so controlled, but here with him, she becomes someone else, something else… some call her the Red Wolf and can see it, her, like a wild gorgeous animal howling in the night and he's her willing prey.

The hand that isn't currently occupied with her chest, the one he's using to grab on to her thigh is suddenly snatched away as she slows down her motions and she brings his fingers to her mouth to suck on them for the shortest of fraction, just enough to have him grunting out a "Fuck, Sansa!" so loud he wouldn't be surprised it reached all the way to the Wall.

She releases his fingers and the frantic rhythm between slows as his hand makes his way down her chin, her collarbone where he splays his hands possessively, oh! how he loves to worship it with his mouth, to soothe her scars with his tongue and fingers and forehead as he kisses her all over, but for now he settles for a light caress as he makes his way along the valley of her breasts and her stomach to the place between her legs where joy lies.

"mmm.. Pod" she sighs and he smiles as he's wont to do when she calls him that, no titles, no pretense just affection and want.

Their pace starts picking up again and, damn him if he doesn't get her closer before they finish, so he sneaks his other hand around her neck to bring her lips down to his because he wants to taste this moment and feel her chest on his and be burned by her heat and smile back as she smiles into their kiss as she finishes with a groan and a whimper and warmth around him.

He soon follows, as is his joy and duty to do and when he comes back down to catch his breath he can only see a mass of red hair on his chest and thank the gods, he still has enough energy to bring his fingers to play with it.

He hears a chuckle, "Pod…"

"hmmm?"

"Remind me again why I was so annoyed before?"

He grins stupidly. Oh yeah, the fight she had with the council juts before he lent his ear and eager arms to heed her complaints and distract her from her woes.

"Something about us being snowed in for a week?"

She crawled up his body and kissed him slowly before replying with a cheeky grin, "… Maybe it won't be so bad after all."

He felt like laughing.

He liked how she was in lust with him too

Note: If this uploads correctly, it's all thanks to my homebody, Danally, who rocks.


	3. Prince Charming

Right now they were lounging on a long chair in front of the fire, a nightly respite from all the preparations for the celebration of the anniversary of her coronation. "Really, you want to do that?" he asked.

Long ago, before they had married, when they were in the middle of an affair neither of them thought would end well, he would stare at her as she paced frantically as she went over all sorts of issues until one day he just sat there and asked her to join him telling her that he worried she was going to dig a hole in the ground and that she might just need a new perspective.

She grudgingly agreed and sat straight and stiff as a road and he just chuckled and pulled her down asking her to breathe and to let him help her relax.

He had massaged her head and played with hair absentmindedly and they had just talked, calmly, soothingly; later she had joked saying that she appreciated him turning her head upside down, which he took as an admission of how crazy she was about him and that he had been right.

Two victories, one chair.

Since then, he thought that she might be the Queen but that this was his very own throne and he wouldn't change it for the world; they sat like this when she was nervous, after a long day, when they found themselves with time to relax and even more so now that her condition meant she couldn't find comfort on their bed as easily as she normally did.

She looked up at him seriously, "I've thought about it for a while now, I think it is right, and you deserve it."

"Deserve It? ... Something like that hasn't even crossed my mind."

"That is exactly why you do." At this point no one would doubt his intentions; he had proven his loyalty to her and to the North time and again.

"Prince Podrick Payne. I think I like the alliteration." He gives her a toothy grin that makes her smile in return, "but come on, tell me. Why now? what is worrying you, darling?"

"Why do you think something's worrying me?"

"Because I know you… if this was just about a reward for my many, many services to the crown you wouldn't have been as hesitant to tell me." He grins as he traces her shortly lived frown with his fingers. He likes having her in this position, her head cradled in his lap as she lies on the chair and he stretches one of his legs on the table facing the hearth.

She exhales loudly as she intertwines her fingers with his bringing his hand to her chest as she holds on tighter to him. "You're right… I'm … concerned."

He uses his other hand to caress her ear, "Over what?"

It takes her a long time to answer and when she does her words only confuse him more.

"Did you know that Joffrey was a sweet, happy baby?"

He's not sure what to say to that other than mumble a befuddled "What?" It had been years since they had even mentioned that name. He couldn't see how_ Joffrey_ _Baratheon_ of all people had her fretting-

"Cersei told me that once, I don't know if she was trying to scare me or to prepare me."

"Prepare you?"

She gave him a sad look "Yes. Prepare me to have my heart broken by my children. Like her. " She didn't say more and it didn't take him long to see where he was going with this. Cersei was a common subject with her, they both came to find over the years, a ghost that haunted her but also a role model for how to act and what to avoid.

And if something was never in question is that the former lion Queen loved her children no matter how abhorrent, so when Sansa's words really sank in, he frowned deeply.

"Sansa… Brianna is never going to be anything like that… _" cunt of a child-king_, is what he wanted to say, "… hateful boy." He finished with a clenched jaw and something primal ignited in Sansa from watching her husband defend their kid so earnestly, even against her and her deepest fears.

"I know… or, I hope that's true but…"

"But nothing, she's wonderful, she's going to be wonderful and smart, they both will." His eyes fixed on the small bump on her belly.

She considered his words for a while, she considered him. He was wonderful; if her children were ended up half as wonderful as him, they'd be fine. Better than. "You're a great father." She caressed his chin playfully as she said it.

"Yeah? You think so?" much like her, he had his doubts from time to time, especially because he could barely remember his own parents; Sansa was the one who knew how this, _a Family_, was supposed to work. "You don't think I'm spoiling her? Septa Luciana keeps scolding me… I´m still not convinced she's right for us."

"Hmmm... maybe you just don't like her because your infamous charm doesn't seem to work on her?" she teases in an attempt to erase the pout from his mouth.

And it works as he immediately laughs. Or rather, he guffaws, "…Or maybe that's why you like her so much."

"True. Which makes her right for us." She wasn't above jealousy when it came to his easy disposition to others, especially women, but long ago she had made peace with it; he had never given her a reason to doubt him and if it hadn't been for his disposition and unassuming charm she wouldn't have noticed him in the first place so she would never try to change that about him.

"Aye." _Look at him, saying 'aye' like a true northern man. "_Still, I don't think I'm spoiling our girl."

"Me neither, you just love her, nothing wrong with that_."_

He grinned and remained pensive for a while before taking her hand in hers and gripping it reassuringly. "You worry, regardless. That's what this is about."

Sansa sighs. "Our children shouldn't outrank their father. That's all."

"You know I don't have a problem with that. I'm a Knight, I'm your Knight, and I don't need anything more."

"And all I need is you, as do our children." As did the North; Oh, he was well liked by her subjects for the most part but there were always factions that remained doubtful, that would question the legitimacy of their union and as her most trusted advisors told her, it was important that they presented a united front at every possible occasion.

Making him a prince as they celebrated her 7th year as Queen would send a message of unity, of strength and it would quell a fear she hadn't been aware of until she had started discussing the idea with her council a few weeks ago.

"And you shall have me. Always."

"Will we?" she didn't ask because she doubted him, she asked because life had beaten her enough to know that nothing could be taken for granted.

Something angry flashed in his eyes for a second, but he soon dismissed the accusation he felt in her words, Sansa had every reason to doubt any kid of always offered to her. Even from him. So he took a breath before continuing, "Look, I'm not refusing but talk me through this. Tell me why it matters, honestly."

"Her Grace." He frowned confused, "She's two and people already call her 'Her Grace', people call me ' You Grace', her siblings will be called that and you… the last thing that I want is for her or any of our children to think for a second that they're better than you, that they can disrespect you or belittle you or…. I don't want to leave anything to chance, even silly things like these."

"Oh… Sansa…"

"Names matter, titles matter, you know that. And if something happens to me while giving birth..." he closed his eyes and shook his head as though refusing to listen to the possibility. "If something happens to me, Prince Podrick of House Stark will rule in the stead of Princess Brianna until she comes of age."

His wife really was a queen through and through, he thought, since even laying on her back, looking and vulnerable she could utter a sentence like that and it became fact as soon as the words left her mouth.

He shut his eyes and looked up to the ceiling, "It won't come to that. You're strong and healthy." Painful as the idea was, she commanded it and he would enact her ruling because he was hers. He just didn't want more of this talk.

"Aye. But there's always a chance and I know the responsibility is daunting but the North will need you, Brianna will ne-."

"It's not the responsibility that's daunting." It was the idea of a world without her and the rasp in his voice told her how unprepared he was for it while grief was all too familiar to her.

"… I know." And she did, she knew how it would break him at first and how the pain would eventually … dull. It wouldn't be gone, but he'd make it without her. Something told her she shouldn't lecture him on that, though. "I'll do my best not to leave you." She said instead in a sweet voice that had him smiling down at her.

"Good… And I'll do my best to be the prince my Queen deserves." He finally acquiesced to her request knowing she was right and that they needed to have this discussion.

_"_You already are_"_. She said before bringing his hands to her mouth in a reassuring kiss. "Now help me get up, we are upsetting your son with all this sad talk, I think I need to take a walk to calm him down."

And so he did, let never be said, now or in the future, that Podrick Payne, squire, knight or prince, would abandon his Queen in her time of need.

Chapter End Notes

So I guess this was loosely inspired by The Crown , or history, and Pince Phillip saying he wouldn't be outranked by his children, it just took a angsty turn somewhere... Still, it was fun writing established Podsa again.


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